Doc Rivers says Dwight Howard hits opponents more than anybody

Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers chuckles at the notion that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is on the receiving end of more physical play than Howard dishes out.

I asked Rivers following his team’s shootaround today whether the Celtics are more physical with Howard than other teams.

“I don’t think so,” Rivers said. “We don’t have ‘Howard Rules,’ I can tell you that. We just go out and play one-on-one defense. We have big guys. We have guys who are very good defenders. I literally get a kick out of all the Howard people [saying Howard is always on the receiving end of physical play]. ”Clearly, people are looking one way. Howard gives out far more punishment than he gets, I can guarantee you that. I actually giggle at that when I hear all the ‘Howard’s getting hit’ talk. It’s a joke to me. That guy hits more than anybody in the league. So, if you’re gonna give it out [you’ve got to be prepared to take it]. That’s the way we look at it.”

Well, what would you expect Doc to say, “yeah, we beat up on Howard like the other teams, how else we going to beat Orlando?” Unless Doc is a bad poker player, it makes since for him to say what he did. What do you do Doc when they put Gortat in their with Howard? David killed Goliath, but their was not two Goliaths~